In a door trim assembly for a vehicle door having an opening fitted with a vertically moveable window pane and a drive unit for driving the window pane for selectively closing the opening, the door trim assembly includes: a door trim main body configured to be attached to an inboard side part of the vehicle door under the opening; at least one transmitter provided in an upper part of the door trim main body; at least one receiver provided in an upper part of the door trim main body and configured to receive a signal emitted from the transmitter and reflected by an object positioned near the window pane; and a control unit connected to the receiver to compute a position of the object according to the signal received by the receiver and control the drive unit according to the computed position of the object.

The present invention relates to a trim panel (1; 101) for a motor vehicle. The trim panel (1; 101) has a first connector (11; 103) for mounting the trim panel (1; 101). The first connector (11; 103) is elongated and extends longitudinally along the trim panel (1; 101). The present invention also relates to a method of mounting a trim panel (1; 101); and a method of forming first and second connectors (11, 13; 103, 105).

An inner door panel (30) for a vehicle side door that includes an integrated side impact beam (70) formed as part of the door in a die casting process. The inner door panel (30) includes an outer frame having a top rail (38), a bottom rail (40), an inner side rail (42) and an outer side rail (44) defining a central opening (34). The impact beam (70) includes a main beam portion (72), a first end support portion (74) and a second end support portion (78). The first end support portion is formed to the side rail (42) and the second end support portion (78) is formed to the outer side rail (44), where the main beam portion (72) extends across the opening (34).

A door opening device for an access door includes an upper lock device, a lower lock device, and a handle device, the lower lock device has a first bias member for biasing a lower opening lever in an opposite direction to an unlocking direction, the handle device has a handle into which an unlocking operation is inputted, a first lever to which an upper cable and a lower cable are connected, a second lever which rotates in a first direction in response to an unlocking operation and transmits this rotation to the first lever, and a second bias member for restoring the second lever to an initial position, and the second lever has a play stroke defined between a point in time when the second lever starts to rotate from the initial position to a point in time when the second lever transmits the rotation to the first lever.

An operation input device includes a substrate formed of an insulator, a plurality of detecting electrodes provided on a surface of the substrate, and a controller, wherein the controller detects capacitance generated between each of the detecting electrodes and an operation body when the operation body is positioned in proximity to the substrate, and determines that a gesture operation by the operation body is performed when a duration from when the capacitance becomes a first threshold or greater to when the capacitance becomes a second threshold or greater is a predetermined value or greater, or when a length in which the operation body is moved from when the capacitance becomes the first threshold or greater to when the capacitance becomes the second threshold or greater is a predetermined value or greater, the first threshold being a threshold for the capacitance, and the second threshold being greater than the first threshold.

A vehicle door lock apparatus (1) includes latch and actuating housings (9, 7) that are fixed between outer and inner panels (3, 4) of a vehicle door (2). A connector fitting section (80C) is exposed through an open window (4H) in the inner panel (4) toward a vehicle interior side of the inner panel (4). A movable member (50) includes a second end (52) that projects out of the actuating housing (7), passes through an opening (80H) in the actuating housing (7) and also passes through the open window (4H) toward the vehicle interior side, where it is coupled to a link member (C3). The connector fitting section (80C) and the opening (80H) are covered by a single umbrella-shaped blocking member (89) that contacts the actuating housing (7) and the inner panel (4) around at least an upper side of the peripheral edge of the open window (4H).

A control element for roof or window adjustment in a motor vehicle includes a surface and a sensor. The surface has an introduced recess and a surface portion. The surface portion is connected to the surface in a gap-free manner above the recess. The surface portion only partially covers the recess. The sensor is formed within the surface portion or is arranged onto the bottom side thereof to detect deformations of the surface portion.

A control element for roof or window adjustment in a motor vehicle includes a surface and a sensor. The surface has an introduced recess and a surface portion. The surface portion is connected to the surface in a gap-free manner above the recess. The surface portion only partially covers the recess. The sensor is formed within the surface portion or is arranged onto the bottom side thereof to detect deformations of the surface portion.

A monitoring system and method are configured to detect a status of a door for a component on a vehicle. The monitoring system includes a sound sensor positioned within an auditory range of the door. The sound sensor detects sound energy generated in relation to a closed position of the door and an open position of the door. The sound sensor outputs a sound signal indicative of the sound energy. A monitoring control unit is in communication with the sound sensor. The monitoring control unit receives the sound signal and analyzes the sound signal to determine the status of the door.

A monitoring system and method are configured to detect a status of a door for a component on a vehicle. The monitoring system includes a sound sensor positioned within an auditory range of the door. The sound sensor detects sound energy generated in relation to a closed position of the door and an open position of the door. The sound sensor outputs a sound signal indicative of the sound energy. A monitoring control unit is in communication with the sound sensor. The monitoring control unit receives the sound signal and analyzes the sound signal to determine the status of the door.